Trailer Park: John Cho Looks For His Missing Daughter Through Her Laptop in Searching
Trailer Park: John Cho Looks For His Missing Daughter Through Her Laptop in Searching
It used to be that techno-thrillers were nothing more than regular thrillers with some ham-handed references to floppy discs and mainframes bolted onto the script (see: Hackers, The Net, Swordfish). Smartphones, social media and laptops are now so thoroughly embedded in our lives that directors are comfortable, say, making films that take place entirely within a computer screen, as is the case…
Why did you name your character Meatie Bear？ Was there anyone you made reference to when creating this character?
My idea is to represent human by animals and to tell the stories between people through them. At first, I didn't give any name to the main character. By the time the stories are gathered to compile a book, I just turned thirty and started gaining more weight as I age. So I decided to use the name ｢肉肉｣ (which means meaty) to express the mood of being in my thirties. I wasn't particularly inspired by anyone. But the Japanese 'Kawaii' (which means cute) culture has certainly driven me to create adorable illustrations to catch readers' attention.
When, do you think, was/is/will be the best time of HK?
Be careful with the question mark at the end of my book title. I began the book by illustrating the Hong Kong in the 70s when I was born and ended it with depictions of the city nowadays. I leave it to the readers to decide which period is the best time of Hong Kong. But if you pay close attention, you would notice that I am drawn to the 80s and 90s when life was much simpler without the internet, but much more exciting with the bloom of popular culture and the creative industry.
What did the inspiration for this book come from?
After the handover in 1997, there are transformations taking place in this city. In the recent years, these changes become more noticeable. Small local businesses are gone. Jewelry shops and chemist's with similar signboards and synonymous design are spotted everywhere. Streets are more crowded with travelers. Prices are rocketing. Signs and notices written in simplified Chinese are emerging. And then, I found myself missing the good old days. That eventually led to the birth of this book.
Why would you tell your stories in the form of picture books instead of all other forms?
Originally, there were only pictures. But soon, I realized illustrations are not enough to fully express my feelings. Therefore, I added the words to supplement the pictures. In fact, visual and textual representations are beautiful in their own ways. And when the two collide, they give rise to a completely new form - Picture Books.
